From the left: Julia, Tom, Nancy, Chuck, Jax, Judy, Wanda, Jamille, Vince, Marilyn, Jim and Mary Anne
Video
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Farewell Dinner in Sydney May 13, 2008
From the left: Julia, Tom, Nancy, Chuck, Jax, Judy, Wanda, Jamille, Vince, Marilyn, Jim and Mary Anne
Video
Hurricane Faye and news from Jax
Woke up this AM with our electric out and our world pretty much shut down. We're hoping that by this evening John and I will be walking up to the beach to see how our beach has been affected by the winds and waves. After the electric came back on around 1:30 PM I sat at my computer and enjoyed looking at so many of your video-clips...felt myself once again heading out to the Great Barrier Reef, next enjoying the luxury of Sea Temple, totally mesmerized with the orthological spider studies of you with Tom and Nancy, and then I sang along with A PUB WITH NO BEER///twice! And as a finale, I had John again pull up his chair next to my computer and watch the Sydney Aquarium sharks, turtles, and other sea animals! What a wonderful way to pass the gloomy, rainy afternoon.
John and I are signed up with OAT to go on a tour February 23, 2009 departing to Antarctica. We will spend some time in Buenos Aires, then a night in Ushuaia, and then on board ship to the Antarctic Peninsula. It would be so awesome if some of the great friends that I went to Australia with were along, but its probably one chance in a million. This Australia group was just so much fun and reliving the trip through your pictures and videos made it moreso. Thanx again and again. jax
John and I are signed up with OAT to go on a tour February 23, 2009 departing to Antarctica. We will spend some time in Buenos Aires, then a night in Ushuaia, and then on board ship to the Antarctic Peninsula. It would be so awesome if some of the great friends that I went to Australia with were along, but its probably one chance in a million. This Australia group was just so much fun and reliving the trip through your pictures and videos made it moreso. Thanx again and again. jax
Friday, August 15, 2008
Sydney Aquarium
As mentioned in an earlier blog video (Party Time), the Sydney Aquarium is open until 10 pm. As an added bonus, because our visit occurred on May 9th, Mothers Day, the OAT mothers were admitted free of charge. The first video is taken alongside the hug shark tank:
Giant Sea Turtles:
More Colorful Fish:
Nice Fish Variety and background music:
More of a different variety:
Coral and coral fish:
Giant Sea Turtles:
More Colorful Fish:
Nice Fish Variety and background music:
More of a different variety:
Coral and coral fish:
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Sing along with OAT ( I know what you're thinking and, no, Vince does not sing)
A Pub with no Beer:
Bound for Botany Bay (please comment on the correct title):
Tie me Kangaroo Down:
Bound for Botany Bay (please comment on the correct title):
Tie me Kangaroo Down:
More Learning and Discovery
After the Champagne ran out,, Tom and Chuck, having nothing better to do (remember we were in the northern rain forrest which is very dark and spooky at night), decided upon doing an orthological study involving the feeding of a fly to the resident Golden Orb spider (yes, the video is dark because of limited light on the porch, but if you listen carefully you will hear and note that even Nancy got hooked on the evening feeding experiment). At the end of the video, you will get a better look at this beautiful, large spider on another front porch the next morning before departing for the flight to Sydney:
Party Time (one of many on this trip)
It should be noted that the Champagne provided at this get together was the "fruits" of the May 6, 2008 hot air balloon ride when each participant received a bottle of champagne (for you math majors this meant that we had 4 bottles for the 11 tour members and Vince, the Australian tour director, who also imbibed somewhere between mostly and not at all and should be given credit for providing the cheese and crackers). The video is dark because the party started at 7:30 pm):
And the party rolls on with review of past (Julia's s massage in town and future travel itinerary and activities in Sydney:
A sampling of the food along the way
We certainly ate, drank and traveled well on our Ultimate Australia tour. For example:
Kangaroo meat:
Desserts (the sweet kind, not the dry land kind):
Fruit Farm optional tour (but lots of fruit sampling):
Kangaroo meat:
Desserts (the sweet kind, not the dry land kind):
Fruit Farm optional tour (but lots of fruit sampling):
A walk in the rain forrest with Piggy
Listen to the rain....it's cool to be walking in the rain forrest when it's raining:
Coopers Creek - Cape Tribulation
There are 69 species of the salt water crocadile. As the guide says, fresh water alligators will spit you out whereas the salt water variety will eat you up. Here, it is very unuusal to see a male and female together in the non-mating season:
This one prefers to sleep alone:
This one prefers to sleep alone:
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Sea Temple
Sea Temple and its fabulous multi-acre pool:
Great 40-50 meter straight on lap and swimming pool:
Wrap around side lagoons:
Great 40-50 meter straight on lap and swimming pool:
Wrap around side lagoons:
Great Barrier Reef - Port Douglas
The boatride to Low Isle (one of the many islands in the Great Barrier Reef) on Quicksilver VIII (see picture below), although windy and blustering, turned out to be pleasant and sunny (definately beating the alternative of no boat ride in a tightly scheduled tour) as shown in the video below:
Osprey and its nest at lighthouse:
Snorkeling area and Quicksilver VIII:
Lighthouse on Low Isle:
Monday, August 11, 2008
Uluru in all its magnificence
The following are two videos: the first was taken in the bus drive to Uluru; the second as viewed inside the Park. Both discuss the history and cultural significance of Uluru:
Waltzing Matilda sung by a true Aussie
What do you think after listening to Vince "the Voice" Haberfield singing Waltzing Matilda? Should it be posted on "You Tube"? Before you comment, it should be noted that Vince's rendition of this famous Aussie (drinking ????) song was preceeded by the below champagne, sunset viewing party. Furthermore, there is evidence in a previous picture posting (below) that Vince may have been doing something other than just pouring Champagne and serving as host.
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
(The refrain in the next verse is in Vince's version, but not the one below)
Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
And he sang as he watched and waited til his billy boiled
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong
Up jumped the swagman and grabed him with glee
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tuckerbag
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
And he sang as he shoved that jumpback in his tuckerbag
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred,
Down came the troopers, one, two, three.
"Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tuckerbag?
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
(Vince used "Who's in that jolly jumpbuck...")
Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
"Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tuckerbag?
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong,
"You'll never catch me alive," said he
And his ghost may be heard as you passed beside that billabong,
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
And his ghost may be heard as you passed by that billabong,
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
Below is another version using the words noted above:
Another version of Waltzing Matilda by The Seekers (extra refrain and slightly different wording):
Another (and last) version of Waltzing Matilda:
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
(The refrain in the next verse is in Vince's version, but not the one below)
Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
And he sang as he watched and waited til his billy boiled
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong
Up jumped the swagman and grabed him with glee
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tuckerbag
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
And he sang as he shoved that jumpback in his tuckerbag
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred,
Down came the troopers, one, two, three.
"Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tuckerbag?
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
(Vince used "Who's in that jolly jumpbuck...")
Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
"Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tuckerbag?
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong,
"You'll never catch me alive," said he
And his ghost may be heard as you passed beside that billabong,
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
And his ghost may be heard as you passed by that billabong,
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
Below is another version using the words noted above:
Another version of Waltzing Matilda by The Seekers (extra refrain and slightly different wording):
Another (and last) version of Waltzing Matilda:
Ayres Rock - Uluru at Sunset and next morning Sunrise
Video:
Sunset Bubbly Pictures followed by Sunrise Pictures taken early the next morning at Outback Pioneer Lodge:
Sunrise Video at Outback Pioneer Lodge:
Sunset Bubbly Pictures followed by Sunrise Pictures taken early the next morning at Outback Pioneer Lodge:
Sunrise Video at Outback Pioneer Lodge:
Sunday, August 10, 2008
On the Road to Uluru (Ayres Rock)
Adventuresome Camel Riders Julia and Nancy :
Hot air balloon:
Sing along with Vince (pay special attention to his motions and more to follow on Vince's solo for Waltzing Matilda and the Pub With No Beer)
Saturday, August 9, 2008
More people pictures from Tom
You will be able to hot-link to all of Tom's pictures that are posted on Kodak using this link (might need to use the copy and paste method): http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=rzyqwdv.4ksxcmnv&x=0&h=1&y=795q1u&localeid=en_US 
We all joined up in Melbourne on April 30, 2008, for our OAT Australia tour. 
Melbourne city scape from memorial steps. Yes, it true, the picture below was taken when we were playing "peek aboo" with our tour guide who had to use the men's restroom in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens. We had Vincent stumped for the moment, upon his exit from the men's room, because we were all hiding behind this huge Ficus tree: 
Now where did that tour guide go? Vince Haberfield was his name. 
Vince give us a tour of Melbourne. "Nancy it's over there" 
We did some walking with Vince! Man, did we! 
This guy wasn't in our group, was he? Ned Kelly was his name. 
Judy and Jax off on another adventure. 
Judy and Nancy at the Melbourne museum. 
Chuck and Tom after a long day's work. 
On to Adelaide. 
Judy and Jax at Cleland Wildlife Park in Adelaide. 
Mary Ann and Jim with friend. 
Same "friend," different humans. 
The real star of the show. 
We liked this statue near the university. Nancy, too. 
He is from the South Torres islands just off the NE tip of Australia. Gave us a wonderful performance. 
We liked the migration museum in Adelaide. 
On the tram ride down to the beach town of Glenelg south of Adelaide. 
Nice evening in Glenelg. 
Sunset on the South Ocean Gulf of St. Vincent. 
Alice Springs from War Memorial Hill.
Video - Lookout Station in Alice Springs from previous picture
Lest We Forget. 
The Southern Cross and the Commonwealth Star (six stares and the territories) on a blue field with the Union Flag in the upper hoist quarter -- The Australian National Flag. 
Alice Springs walk. All went to the Flying Doctor's museum. Tom and Nan to the Pioneer Women's museum. 
Telegraph Station at Alice Springs. 
Alec - our living historian at Alice Springs. 
Here is how it was .... 
Throw it like this, Chuck. 
What form Nancy!! The one of Tom throwing and having the returning boomerrang hitting his leg has been omitted to save his dignity.
Did we win? Julia and Nancy go for a camel ride at bus stop on the way to Ayre's Rock. 
Cute aren't they? No, not the camels!! 
The Olgas (Kata Tjutas). Big rock formations near Uluru. 
Beautiful "high desert" landscape. 
Marilyn is having fun. "These are big!" 
Vince and Nancy all smiles. 
Ayers Rock (Uluru) just before sunset. Vince pours the drinks at our sunset "Rock" party. 
Jamille and Jax take it all in. 
(F)Nan, Julia, Wanda, Judy, Jax, (R)Tom, Jim, Mary Ann, Marilyn, Chuck, Jamille. 
Good food, good drink, good friends. 
The line up to make sure the Rock stays put. 
It did!! See the changing colors. 
Wanda helps herself to more goodies. For the record, we all had the expectation that the OAT guides were not supposed to imbibe while on duty; so we are not sure whether Vince was the exception or the rule and who enjoyed the champagne more. 
Looking good! 
Tom, Nancy, Marilyn, Chuck and the Rock 
Chuck and Tom .... and Uluru. 
Sunset on the desert. 
Nan's bucket list got shorter. SHE DID IT!!!! Helo flight over Ayers Rock at sunrise. 
Sunrise over the desert. 
See the dot --- that's Nancy! 
Ayers Rock is impressive. We walked around most of it. 
Vince is telling us that it was this big, but it got away. 
Keep those pesky flys off me!! 
Vince leads the way and Chuck has his trusted Sony camera ready. 
Tom couldn't go up the rock; so he jogged around the base --6 miles. 
All these images in the rock have special meanings to the Aboriginees. 
You gotta see it to believe it. 
Jamille sit-down strike during Vince's "walk around the Rock." 
Nice seat, I protest too. 
Let's all go on a sit-down strike. 
Read all about it. 
Port Douglas harbor. 
Our hotel. Sea Temple, in Port Douglas. 
Chuck did his laps, the rest of us had fun dog paddling around. 
Dinner at the Ironbar in Port Douglas. 
Wavedancer; our "ride" to the Great Barrier Reef. 
On our way to the Great Barrier Reef. Wild ride!! 
Low Isle where we snorkled, swam, glass boated and ate. 
Great scenery on/from the boat. 
Captain Tom is happy to be at sea. Meanwhile, back to the Barrier Reef and rainforrest pictures: 
Jim and his harem. Lives in Utah, you know. :-) 
Wanda wants to make sure she gets into the picture. 
This guy does get around. Mary Ann, are you watching? 
Final choice. And the winner is .... Mary Ann 
Wanda and Mary Ann enjoying the ride. 
Jim and Tom on the forecastle. 
Jax, Jamille and Judy taking it all in. 
Judy had a heck of fun time last night. Wonder what the other guy looks like? 
Marilyn and Chuck are a happy looking couple. 
Chuck working on Wanda's camara -- he got it fixed!! 
Nancy and Marilyn on the beach at Cape Tribulation. 
The Ferntree Lodge in Cape Tribulation. 
Capt. Cook named this Cape Tribulation after his ship went aground on the reef. 
Tom and Nancy in love. 
Oh, those tired feet! When does Vince want us to be ready for the next hike? 
Our nature cruise boat ride up Coopers Creek. 
Nice river --- except for the crocs. 
Unusual; a male and female together on the flat. He is over 800 pounds! 
Great picture of Jamille and Julia. 
Nice smile, Jamille. 
Don't get too close to the bank. 
A real rain forrest, and it rained. 
Yep it did! 
Tom and Nancy took shelter under a ---- what the heck is it? 
Our own spider at the Ferntree Lodge. 4-5 inches across. We named her Charlotte. aka Golden Orb. 
What's left of the hikers from Vince's last OAT group. 
The city --- Sydney! 
Sydney Opera House and Sydney bridge in background. 
Where lifeguarding started -- Bondi Beach. 
Bondi Beach -- we couldn't take pictures of the topless girls. Sob! 
No problem taking this picture on the beach. 
Aborigine instrument on the right is a didgeridoo. 
Yep, the Opera House again. 
Jax and Nancy living the good life. 
It's been a good day. 
Yes it has!! 
Two happy guys -- must have been to a pub along the way. 
Wanda looks ready to get the boat underway. 
Darling Harbour at night. 
From the bridge - Cicular Quay in the foreground and the city behind. 
From the bridge. 
The Sydney bridge at sunset. 
Another boat ride -- the ferry to Manly. 
Good beer here --- and a little naval history, too. Speaking of which, here is one of Tom's favorite Aussie beer songs:
Looks like the General himself. 
We had our last OAT dinner here.
Video of interior of Lord Nelson's Pub
Our farewell dinner ending our OAT Australia tour. Great time was had by all. 
Good by Sydney. 
Nancy, Tom and the Koala.
We all joined up in Melbourne on April 30, 2008, for our OAT Australia tour. 
Melbourne city scape from memorial steps. Yes, it true, the picture below was taken when we were playing "peek aboo" with our tour guide who had to use the men's restroom in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens. We had Vincent stumped for the moment, upon his exit from the men's room, because we were all hiding behind this huge Ficus tree: 
Now where did that tour guide go? Vince Haberfield was his name. 
Vince give us a tour of Melbourne. "Nancy it's over there" 
We did some walking with Vince! Man, did we! 
This guy wasn't in our group, was he? Ned Kelly was his name. 
Judy and Jax off on another adventure. 
Judy and Nancy at the Melbourne museum. 
Chuck and Tom after a long day's work. 
On to Adelaide. 
Judy and Jax at Cleland Wildlife Park in Adelaide. 
Mary Ann and Jim with friend. 
Same "friend," different humans. 
The real star of the show. 
We liked this statue near the university. Nancy, too. 
He is from the South Torres islands just off the NE tip of Australia. Gave us a wonderful performance. 
We liked the migration museum in Adelaide. 
On the tram ride down to the beach town of Glenelg south of Adelaide. 
Nice evening in Glenelg. 
Sunset on the South Ocean Gulf of St. Vincent. 
Alice Springs from War Memorial Hill.Video - Lookout Station in Alice Springs from previous picture
Lest We Forget. 
The Southern Cross and the Commonwealth Star (six stares and the territories) on a blue field with the Union Flag in the upper hoist quarter -- The Australian National Flag. 
Alice Springs walk. All went to the Flying Doctor's museum. Tom and Nan to the Pioneer Women's museum. 
Telegraph Station at Alice Springs. 
Alec - our living historian at Alice Springs. 
Here is how it was .... 
Throw it like this, Chuck. 
What form Nancy!! The one of Tom throwing and having the returning boomerrang hitting his leg has been omitted to save his dignity.
Did we win? Julia and Nancy go for a camel ride at bus stop on the way to Ayre's Rock. 
Cute aren't they? No, not the camels!! 
The Olgas (Kata Tjutas). Big rock formations near Uluru. 
Beautiful "high desert" landscape. 
Marilyn is having fun. "These are big!" 
Vince and Nancy all smiles. 
Ayers Rock (Uluru) just before sunset. Vince pours the drinks at our sunset "Rock" party. 
Jamille and Jax take it all in. 
(F)Nan, Julia, Wanda, Judy, Jax, (R)Tom, Jim, Mary Ann, Marilyn, Chuck, Jamille. 
Good food, good drink, good friends. 
The line up to make sure the Rock stays put. 
It did!! See the changing colors. 
Wanda helps herself to more goodies. For the record, we all had the expectation that the OAT guides were not supposed to imbibe while on duty; so we are not sure whether Vince was the exception or the rule and who enjoyed the champagne more. 
Looking good! 
Tom, Nancy, Marilyn, Chuck and the Rock 
Chuck and Tom .... and Uluru. 
Sunset on the desert. 
Nan's bucket list got shorter. SHE DID IT!!!! Helo flight over Ayers Rock at sunrise. 
Sunrise over the desert. 
See the dot --- that's Nancy! 
Ayers Rock is impressive. We walked around most of it. 
Vince is telling us that it was this big, but it got away. 
Keep those pesky flys off me!! 
Vince leads the way and Chuck has his trusted Sony camera ready. 
Tom couldn't go up the rock; so he jogged around the base --6 miles. 
All these images in the rock have special meanings to the Aboriginees. 
You gotta see it to believe it. 
Jamille sit-down strike during Vince's "walk around the Rock." 
Nice seat, I protest too. 
Let's all go on a sit-down strike. 
Read all about it. 
Port Douglas harbor. 
Our hotel. Sea Temple, in Port Douglas. 
Chuck did his laps, the rest of us had fun dog paddling around. 
Dinner at the Ironbar in Port Douglas. 
Wavedancer; our "ride" to the Great Barrier Reef. 
On our way to the Great Barrier Reef. Wild ride!! 
Low Isle where we snorkled, swam, glass boated and ate. 
Great scenery on/from the boat. 
Captain Tom is happy to be at sea. Meanwhile, back to the Barrier Reef and rainforrest pictures: 
Jim and his harem. Lives in Utah, you know. :-) 
Wanda wants to make sure she gets into the picture. 
This guy does get around. Mary Ann, are you watching? 
Final choice. And the winner is .... Mary Ann 
Wanda and Mary Ann enjoying the ride. 
Jim and Tom on the forecastle. 
Jax, Jamille and Judy taking it all in. 
Judy had a heck of fun time last night. Wonder what the other guy looks like? 
Marilyn and Chuck are a happy looking couple. 
Chuck working on Wanda's camara -- he got it fixed!! 
Nancy and Marilyn on the beach at Cape Tribulation. 
The Ferntree Lodge in Cape Tribulation. 
Capt. Cook named this Cape Tribulation after his ship went aground on the reef. 
Tom and Nancy in love. 
Oh, those tired feet! When does Vince want us to be ready for the next hike? 
Our nature cruise boat ride up Coopers Creek. 
Nice river --- except for the crocs. 
Unusual; a male and female together on the flat. He is over 800 pounds! 
Great picture of Jamille and Julia. 
Nice smile, Jamille. 
Don't get too close to the bank. 
A real rain forrest, and it rained. 
Yep it did! 
Tom and Nancy took shelter under a ---- what the heck is it? 
Our own spider at the Ferntree Lodge. 4-5 inches across. We named her Charlotte. aka Golden Orb. 
What's left of the hikers from Vince's last OAT group. 
The city --- Sydney! 
Sydney Opera House and Sydney bridge in background. 
Where lifeguarding started -- Bondi Beach. 
Bondi Beach -- we couldn't take pictures of the topless girls. Sob! 
No problem taking this picture on the beach. 
Aborigine instrument on the right is a didgeridoo. 
Yep, the Opera House again. 
Jax and Nancy living the good life. 
It's been a good day. 
Yes it has!! 
Two happy guys -- must have been to a pub along the way. 
Wanda looks ready to get the boat underway. 
Darling Harbour at night. 
From the bridge - Cicular Quay in the foreground and the city behind. 
From the bridge. 
The Sydney bridge at sunset. 
Another boat ride -- the ferry to Manly. 
Good beer here --- and a little naval history, too. Speaking of which, here is one of Tom's favorite Aussie beer songs:
Looks like the General himself. 
We had our last OAT dinner here.Video of interior of Lord Nelson's Pub
Our farewell dinner ending our OAT Australia tour. Great time was had by all. 
Good by Sydney. 
Nancy, Tom and the Koala.
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